Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers Post-Match Thread/Ratings

[Irish villain]

True TV, but some of us are wired a little differently. Patience is a virtue and I for one wish I had a little bit more of it!
I think today shows we have the makings of a decent side and unlike last season, there's a sense of calm authority at the club. Last season anything was possible. If we continue in this vein, the posts on the match thread will also quieten down a bit to as fans get used to our abilities.

[ROBBO]

Positives: There seems to be a happier squad at Villa Park these days, a really good team spirit. N'Zog will be a Villa hero, Gabby was the best he's been for a long time,Bannan on the ball is fantastic.
Negatives: Delph played well but should stay on his feet and not dive in so much, Bannon without the ball cannot defend, Albrighton ? and we played an under strength poor side. Two more quality players like N'Zog and we could shake the top four. Are you reading this Randy.

[TheSandman]

I thought Gabby's goal was brilliant. For the past few months we've seen a man who was a shadow of his former self so it was good to hear how well he performed today.

Also pleasing were excellent games from Delph and Petrov.

Blackburn maybe shit and the result expected but the players can draw confidence from this and keep up to the high standard they set today.

[Tony]

Positives: There seems to be a happier squad at Villa Park these days, a really good team spirit. N'Zog will be a Villa hero, Gabby was the best he's been for a long time,Bannan on the ball is fantastic.
Negatives: Delph played well but should stay on his feet and not dive in so much, Bannon without the ball cannot defend, Albrighton ? and we played an under strength poor side. Two more quality players like N'Zog and we could shake the top four. Are you reading this Randy.

We lost Gabby and Luke Young to injury, we were under strength too, we did well, the kids did well, even Albrighton who some seem ready to give up on, he was close to scoring.

[Aston Manor]

I don't know. Sometimes you think you've seen a totally different game. Also, I'm in post MOTD mood after having a few beers so maybe I'm too critical...but...I thought Delph was only okay. Gave away possession too easily too often and was n't as busy, with as much quality, as I'd expect.

Like west ham last season  they were poor. I thought we looked poor, cumbersome, and slightly lop-sided in the first-half and yet we went in two goals up. Against a better team I think we may have struggled.

finally,I thought our bookings probably were i just can't understand why Blackburn's players avoided the book for most of the game.

Oh, and I think those who think Albrighton is a good enough replacement for Young or Downing are seeing a different player to me.Ttbrough my ever so slightly inebriated eyes. After enjoying a night out post villa win...long may it continue...

[BC54 VFC]

Was it ok in other areas of the gound, because if so, I'd consider just not sitting in the Holte until it's sorted, it was painful.

No it wasn't; I sit nine rows back in the Lower Doug Ellis, and halfway between halfway line and edge of Holte End penalty area - it was very tinny and you couldn't make out a thing other than 'man of the match' and 'Fabian Delph' at the end.

[Archie]

top of the premiership! good solid display in defence , impressed with petrov, delph and nzogbia and goals for gabby , bent and heskey too, a good day at the office.

Great gabby goal and nice to see him play so well-good cameo from bannan as sub and well done to all, fans players and staff-enjoy your weekend guys!

Agree, apart from Richard Dunne that was unwatchable as usual. He conceded one  goal to an unmarked Pedersen and a similar occasion in the 1st half.   

[Caiphus]

We allowed Blackburn to transition from defence to attack too easily and were lucky that they are pretty toothless: our possession stats were pretty good, but they had almost as many shots-on-goal as we did.  Refereeing was pretty one sided, as far as I was concerned we should of gotten a penalty for what was deemed a foul by Gabby on Robinson.  Robinson climbed Gabby's hamstring with his studs which led to him having to be subbed off.

Delph, Albrighton and Bannan have youthful exuberance but need to be reamed out for diving into challenges needlessly.  Otherwise they were all pretty bright looking I thought.

[Neil Hawkes]

On a very positive note, look at the positioning of Benty for Heskeys' goal.

The man is a predator and as long as we have at least a few balls in the box, per game, I don't think we'll see many scoreless games.

[brice jovial]

Well in this 4-2-3-1 formation Ive particuarly enjoyed petrovs play. He seemes again v balckburn acustomed to role.
I like to think each passing game delph and him will grow strenth to strenght. Delph also plays comfortable in the 2
and looking forward to the 3 ahead , whoever selected, to provide goals creativity and attacking content.

[LeeB]

From the footage on MOTD, it seems someone has finally got through to Gabby about having a dig when coming in off the left.

It makes him much more of a threat, and could actually be his best position. The finish was sublime, and it's something that's he's bought into his game over the last couple of seasons, even through his lack of form last season I noticed he seemed to be developing something of a cultured right foot.

He's still improving, if he can find his form again then we will have an extremely potent strikeforce.

[PaulTheVillan]

Also, maybe McLeish is testing to see if Gabby can play there as we need more cover in wide positions & he'll find it hard to oust Bent as the number 9.

[LeeB]

Also, maybe McLeish is testing to see if Gabby can play there as we need more cover in wide positions & he'll find it hard to oust Bent as the number 9.

Yes, it pays to have players who are versatile, especially if you happen to be trimming the wage bill.

Gabby just looked happier out there though, as though he'd had the shackles taken off him.

[Monty]

I supported playing Gabby wide under GH and when Eck did it in pre-season, because to me his best attribute is when he can receive the ball in space and run at defenders, and from wide left there are two crucial advantages: firstly it's less congested than in the centre, so we can manouvre him space when we're attacking, not just when we're counter-attacking (where he's also useful); secondly, running in from the left means he's running onto his strongest foot, as we saw with the goal and another good shot yesterday.

[CJ]

We allowed Blackburn to transition from defence to attack too easily and were lucky that they are pretty toothless: our possession stats were pretty good, but they had almost as many shots-on-goal as we did.  Refereeing was pretty one sided, as far as I was concerned we should of gotten a penalty for what was deemed a foul by Gabby on Robinson.  Robinson climbed Gabby's hamstring with his studs which led to him having to be subbed off.

Delph, Albrighton and Bannan have youthful exuberance but need to be reamed out for diving into challenges needlessly.  Otherwise they were all pretty bright looking I thought.

Agree with the penalty -  thought it was pretty nailed on but still haven't seen a replay (MOTD didn't show it). I thought Gabby was injured by a tackle from Hoilett - one of 3 fouls he committed in as many minutes but which the one-eyed ref chose not to award a yellow card.